Signal system



R. E. SAGLE.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION min nfc.21.\919.

1,395,208. Patented oen 25, 1921.

A'GAIAI UNITED STATES ROY E. sAGLE, oF RosEvILLn, oHIo.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application led December 27, 1919. Serial No. 347,880.

To all 'whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY E. SAGLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Roseville, in the county of Muskingum and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Systems, ofwhichj the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a signal system for automobiles, adapted forautomatic actuation in a movement of a control member of the automobile,whereby a signal is displayed fo'r the information of the following yvehicles, which signal corresponds to an action contemplated through theoperation of theparticular automobile control.

The ,improved system is designed to be entirely automatic andimmediately responsive to automobile control b the driver, such forexample as indicating a stop signal when certain automobile controldevices tending to stop the automobile are operated, or a slow signalunder similar automobile control.

Specifically, the system coperates with the brake pedal and with theclutch pedal, and includes a particular type of switch responsive to theaction of either pedal to automatically display the slow signal; andwhich switch is e ually responsive to the operation of both pe als toautomatically display a stop signal.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrative of thesystem.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the switch with the cover removed.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the contact block and contact membersshown separated.

The improved system is primarily dependent upon the switch, here shownas the block 1, of suitable insulated material, having spaced parallelchannels 2 and 3 therein. The Wall 4 between the channels 2 and 3 isprovided with a contact section 5 for a portion of its length from oneend, and is further provided with a relatively narrow contact section 6beyond and spaced from the end of section 5. The outer wall 7 of channcl2 is provided with a contact section 8 at one end and opposite one endof the sectien 5, and with an additional contact section 9 whichtransversely alines with the section 6 and the adjacent end of section5. The outer wall 10 of channel 3 is provided with an end contactsection 11 opposite the end of section 5, and with spaced contactsections 12 and 13 transversely alined respectively with thevsection 6and the adjacent end of section 5. Y

Slidably mounted in each channel 2 and 3 is a contact block, such blocks14 and 15 4being of identical construction. The blocks .are of insulatedmaterial and are each formed adjacent their ends with transversechannels 16 and 17,*to receive contact members. The contact members ofeach channel are here shown as metallic sections 1S and 19 slidablyfitting the vrespective channel and normally spaced for contactoperation` by an interposed sp'ring 20.

Therespective contact members 18 and 19 are arranged-to coperate withthe appropriate contact'sections of the block 1, when properly disposed,and one pair of such members of each block are so disposed that when theblocks are in normal position metallic connection is had between thesection 5 and the sections 8 and 11.

The respective ends of the channel, 2 and 3 are suitably closed to limitthe movement of the blocks in both directions and springs 21 arearranged to hold the blocks in the normal position described. The blocksare connected to certain control members of the automobile, for exampleblock 14 may be connected by wire or other connector 22 to the clutchpedal, and block 15 may be similarly connected at 23 to the brake pedal.Both connectors preferably include eXtension spring sections 24 so thatthe blocks may be positioned under a limited movement of the pedals, andthe further movement of the pedals not interfered with.

The wiring system coperating with the improved switch is shown moreparticularly in Fig. 1, wherein the battery 25 is connected by conductor2G, branch at 27 to the Contact sections 9 and 13 of the switch block 1.The Contact sections 8 and l1 of such switch block are connected byconductor 28 to a slow signal 29 of any appropriate type to be operatedby the pas- Sage of current therethrough. A stop signal 30 is inconnection through conductor 31 with contact Section l2 of the block 1.The common return 32 from the signals leads to the battery, or bothsignals and battery may be grounded if desired.

lVith the parts in the normal position as illustrated it is apparentthat no current is tacting me flowing to the signals. Through operationof the clutch pedal the .block 14: is drawn to a position to cause thecontact members of such block 14 to establish metallic connectionbetween the sections 9 and 6 and 9 and 5 of the. block 1. Current nowreaches the slow signal 29, through conductor 26, contact section 9,'block contact: members, contact section 5, block contact members ofblock `r15, section ?11 land conductor 28. With the'clntch outfthespeedfthe auto- =mobilefisfoff'course'retarded, andthe slow signal'lthus'-displayed. "If: the brake pedal is operated, which would-'also havethe-effect fof -iretafxding fthe? spedfl'of the automobile, -avsimilarsen'ejigizatie A-Jkzo'flthe slow signal *1es'tllts.-iIntlsinstalncezthe block 15- is drawn V"fol'vvaid:and :the currentthrough conductor-@Spams through contact section 13 the-'alinedi-cntaxztmembers of block 15, -contact section-'5; contactmembers of bloc-kA14,'contact'section; and"conductor 28. If

however 'both il clutch 'brake pedals are operated,the4apparent'intention being to stop the car, thesbop si al-isenergizedmarmerl 1th both blocks 14 andf15 in` a vancedposition the metallic.contactishadbetweencontact section 9, 6

Yand 12. The 'current then Teaches'the stop signalfthrough conductor26,seetion 9, conmbers 'oiblock 14, section 6, contasting-m bel-s ofblock 15,setion 12, and conductor 31. l ,Y

I"I her'efore'iirthe operationof either the clutch :o1-"brakepdalsfwhichwould have the eii'ectto retardthe movement of the car thev f slowr.s.ign`al is displayed, while in the operation 'of both the clutch andbrake pedals, which wouldfhave'the effect to stop thecar, the stopsignal'is displayed.

The'switch. may be secured at any appropriate point soflong as it can beconvenient] v connected tothe respective pedals, and in fact the entiredevice may be concealed from view. 'The operation is .wholly automatic,

-and it is of course contemplated that the signals be capable of being-villuminabed when energized for operation, for signalingr at night.

What I claim is:

1. A signal system for automobiles or the like, including'twoindependent signals, circuits respectively controlling said signals, aswitch-member adapted to control said circuits, said switch member beingoperated b3' manually -actuatedmembers for the control ofthe vehicle,said switch member being responsiveinthe actuation ,of either of saidcontrol members to govern one signal circuit alone and responsive in theactuation ot both said control members to govern the other circuitalone, whereby in the actuation of either of said control members forthe vehicle one signal only is operated and in the actuation of bothsaid control members forthe vehicle the other signal only is actuated.

2. A. signal system operated from the brake and clutch pedals andincluding a slow signal and a stop signal, circuits for energizing saidsignals a switch block arranged in said circuits and independent meansoperable inesaid block and connected respectively to the clutch andbrake pedals to' energize the slow sional on operation of Ieither theclutch or bra 'e pedal and to operate the lstopsignal on actuation ofboth the clutch Aconnected to the clutch and brake pedals to energizethe slonY vsignal on Yoperation of either the clutch or brake pedal andto'opeiate theY stop signal on aetuation'of'both the'clntch and brakepedal'at the same time.

4. A signal system operated from the brake and clutch pedals of anautomobile and including aslow rsignal and a stop sig nal, circuitsforenergizing the signals, a switch member connected to and movable ln'the bral-:e pedal, a second switch member connected to and movable b vthe clutch pedal, and contact elements-for said circuits controlled bythe positions Yof the respective switch members, said contact membersbeing arranged to close the circuit to the slow-signal upon operation ofeither ofsaid -members and to close the circuit to the stop signal inthe operation ol both of said members at the same time.

.\n automobile signal s vstem including imlependent signals. a circuitfor each of said signals, n switching nie-.ins connected to one controlmember of an automobile, a second switching means connected to anothercontrol member of thc automobile, the. operation of either switchingmeans closingV the circuit to one of' said signals and the simultaneousoperation oll both of saidl switching means closing the circuit to theother of said signals.

ln testimony whereof l ailix my signature.

`ROY E. SAGLE.

